Two future Ohio State Buckeyes just put the entire college football world on notice. During the Broward Showcase on Saturday, August 29, 2026, St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida) steamrolled national powerhouse DeSoto (Texas) 38-14. At the center of this blowout were 2027 Ohio State commits Wyatt Smith and Jaden Carey, who delivered non-stop big plays to prove why Ryan Day locked them down early.
St. Aquinas didn’t just beat DeSoto with their dominant performance, but humbled them after their captain refused to shake hands pre-game. For Ohio State fans, watching edge rusher Wyatt Smith and defensive back Jaden Carey control the game felt like a preview of Saturdays in Columbus. Smith, in particular, is walking down a familiar path, following former Aquinas legends Joey and Nick Bosa to Ohio State.
“He likes to replicate (Joey) Bosa’s effort, and we saw that tonight,” T.J. Randall, 247 Sports National Scouting Analyst, said of Smith. “We saw the tackle he made on to SaRod Baker in space. I just love watching him redirect and just play with the effort and the strength.”
Smith was a menace all night. The 6-foot-6, 235-pound four-star pass rusher set the tone early by chasing down plays and sacking DeSoto quarterback Jayden Shaw. 247Sports analyst T.J. Randall praised Smith’s non-stop motor, noting how he continuously redirected across the field to make physical tackles in open space.
Smith chose the Buckeyes in May 2026 over nearly 30 other offers. 247Sports Scouting Director Andrew Ivins highlighted his massive frame and high ceiling. Last season, Smith led his team to a state title with 155 tackles and 13 sacks. Against elite Texas competition this weekend, he proved those numbers were no fluke.
“Productive, right? And we said it, the measurements, you get around them, and you don’t realize how much bulking capabilities there are there,” Irvins added. “Great one on the way for Ryan Day & Co.”
The conversation then pivoted to Jaden Carey, who orchestrated a 37-year pick six touchdown.
“Jaden Carey, the defensive back. Pick six, I always say it. This is a kid you don’t want to bet against,” Irvins said to introduce him. “Might not be the biggest, but he is physical, open field tackler, instincts, getting people lined up, worked at cornerback tonight, really liked him as well.”
Carey is the 5-11, 175 pounds defensive back who committed to the Buckeyes June 17. Although a three-star prospect, he had offers from 40 programs to make his choice.
With that, the team was in a 14-0 lead. He also pulled off a forced fumble with senior linebacker Jackson Leimberger. The two resulted in a 13-yard run and upped their lead 24-0 with less that five minutes left in the second half.
“The pick-six stands out right away,” Randall added. “You saw him jump the route, make a play on the ball, take it back to the house. All those things encapsulate who he is as a player, right? You see the physicality, the ability to just make plays on the ball, make plays in the run game; love watching his game.”
Caret is a multi-sport athlete who runs track and plays basketball. In 2025, he played in 14 games and posted 54 tackles, four interceptions, and one forced fumble. After this game, the St.Thomas Aquinas rose in the high school on SI ranking. They climbed up from No.5 to No.3.
After crushing DeSoto the way they did, can Aquinas clich the No.1 position? One expert thinks so.
Aquinas Early Showdown Opens Up National Title Chatter
Palm Beach Post’s Jon Santucci is aware that it might be too early to predict a championship campaign. Yet, he does after witnessing Aquinas’ dominating performance.
“If Aquinas makes it through the regular season unscathed, the Open Division gauntlet awaits,” he opined on August 30. “Aquinas appears to be a legitimate national contender, and the final day of the Broward Showcase certainly helped.”
They hosted and defeated DeSoto in a skewed 38-14 victory. The national title talks surrounding Aquinas aren’t a long shot considering they’ve won seven consecutive Florida state titles. Whether they prove the title buzz was right along starts from winning all the next opportunities.